Do I dislike pens?

[DoctaDave]

Is it just me who can't stand pens? Yeah, they may be handy, but after spending all that time getting the vial ready, I could've already done several days' worth of peps, haha. I picked up a V1 just to try it out, and I really can't stand the thing. Pushing the plunger is kind of a pain, and the needle jiggles around while I'm trying to position my thumb. I suppose insulin needles work better for me.

 

[Abrakebabra]

To each their own — personally I’m a fan, though of course everyone can have their own preference. I’m not quite following what you meant about the time spent loading the vial, though... You’re not working with 1 pen and switching out cartridges, are you? I also can’t say I’ve had any issue with the needle wobbling — but like I said, if they don’t work for you, then they don’t work for you.

 

[BBA1969]

For several months at the beginning, I used a Mounjaro pen, then made the change to vials and several peps.

Lately I've gone back to pens for the low volume daily pins.

Getting the cartridges and loading them is admittedly somewhat more of a hassle, but once that's done, things become much more convenient.

One extra upside: for anyone who is sensitive about injecting, a 4-5mm pen needle is barely noticeable. Often I feel nothing whatsoever.

 

[CandyCap]

DoctaDave said:

Is it just me who can't stand pens? Yeah, they may be handy, but after spending all that time getting the vial ready, I could've already done several days' worth of peps, haha. I picked up a V1 just to try it out, and I really can't stand the thing. Pushing the plunger is kind of a pain, and the needle jiggles around while I'm trying to position my thumb. I suppose insulin needles work better for me.

Do you twist the needle into place rather than simply pressing it on? I don't understand how it could be unstable?

 

[GrandmaJ]

I'm attempting a switch over to pens, but it's been a real challenge. I'm just not skilled at using them! While trying to clear air bubbles, I end up wasting peps. Even though I keep the needle in place and count to 20 before withdrawing it once the injection is finished, more liquid still leaks out afterward. When the cartridge isn't completely filled to 3ml, getting the plunger into the correct spot is difficult for me. At one point, a cartridge dropped out, and when I went to reinsert it, I couldn't figure out how to raise the plunger high enough to expel what was left. There's certainly a learning curve, and I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble just yet.

 

[whimsps]

I have a PepPen V2 and I really can't stand it. That wobble you mentioned is a problem for me too — when I push the plunger, the "clicking" makes it shift around, and I end up bruised. My hands are quite small, so perhaps that plays a role?

A Savvio pen came into my possession not long ago, and pressing the plunger down smoothly instead of with clicks has made a difference, though it's still chunky. I've also got a ConviPen sitting unused; from what I can tell, its plunger depresses smoothly as well. Insulin needles remain my preference, but the amount of plastic waste bothers me.

 

[CandyCap]

GrandmaJ said:

I'm attempting a switch over to pens, but it's been a real challenge. I'm just not skilled at using them! While trying to clear air bubbles, I end up wasting peps. Even though I keep the needle in place and count to 20 before withdrawing it once the injection is finished, more liquid still leaks out afterward. When the cartridge isn't completely filled to 3ml, getting the plunger into the correct spot is difficult for me. At one point, a cartridge dropped out, and when I went to reinsert it, I couldn't figure out how to raise the plunger high enough to expel what was left. There's certainly a learning curve, and I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble just yet.

With certain pens, you'll need spacers if you want to extract all of the contents.

 

[SeaGypsy]

CandyCap said:

GrandmaJ said:

I'm attempting a switch over to pens, but it's been a real challenge. I'm just not skilled at using them! While trying to clear air bubbles, I end up wasting peps. Even though I keep the needle in place and count to 20 before withdrawing it once the injection is finished, more liquid still leaks out afterward. When the cartridge isn't completely filled to 3ml, getting the plunger into the correct spot is difficult for me. At one point, a cartridge dropped out, and when I went to reinsert it, I couldn't figure out how to raise the plunger high enough to expel what was left. There's certainly a learning curve, and I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble just yet.

With certain pens, you'll need spacers if you want to extract all of the contents.

When a cartridge is nearly empty, I simply pull out the remaining liquid and put it into the next cartridge. The spacers are in my possession, but I haven't tried them yet.

 

[Rezwalker]

i grabbed a few pens off aliXpr..

the V1/v2 ones are all junk

Gansulin pen was a whole different story ! amazing device

lily Humapen also solid all around

novo4 paired with an adapter works great and doesn't cost much

every morning i go through around 5 pens, way quicker than pulling from 5 vials

now i'm sort of hooked on them ...

ended up buying around 20 pens

 

[joseblo]

GrandmaJ said:

I'm attempting a switch over to pens, but it's been a real challenge. I'm just not skilled at using them! While trying to clear air bubbles, I end up wasting peps. Even though I keep the needle in place and count to 20 before withdrawing it once the injection is finished, more liquid still leaks out afterward. When the cartridge isn't completely filled to 3ml, getting the plunger into the correct spot is difficult for me. At one point, a cartridge dropped out, and when I went to reinsert it, I couldn't figure out how to raise the plunger high enough to expel what was left. There's certainly a learning curve, and I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble just yet.

Should getting pens loaded and clearing every bit of air and bubbles prove frustrating, they might not suit you. That goes double when your schedule is only 1 shot per week and you skip filtering. To see what I'm doing, I need reading glasses, something I otherwise never wear.

My air-removal routine tends to happen immediately after filling and filtering. The vent needle stays in place, and I position it at the absolute top of the snout, not even 1 mm lower. Next comes flicking with a fingernail until every bubble has traveled to the top (a bit of spinning can help too). After that, I take an old plunger removed from a syringe (at times propped against the counter) and ease the cart plunger upward until no air remains and only the smallest droplet appears. Very often, a stint in the fridge makes those final tiny bubbles vanish. If a speck of air still sits at the top, I'll load the cart into a pen, attach a pen needle (prior to the first pin) with only a shallow puncture rather than fully screwing it on, and expel 1-2 units at a time until that last bubble is gone.

Carts are plagued by bubbles, because their compression and expansion are typically what produces the dribble at the end. There are 3D printed recon stations out there that simplify parts of this, yet when the obstacle is process, vision, or reflexes, no amount of spending will truly fix it.

 

[GrandmaJ]

joseblo said:

GrandmaJ said:

I'm attempting a switch over to pens, but it's been a real challenge. I'm just not skilled at using them! While trying to clear air bubbles, I end up wasting peps. Even though I keep the needle in place and count to 20 before withdrawing it once the injection is finished, more liquid still leaks out afterward. When the cartridge isn't completely filled to 3ml, getting the plunger into the correct spot is difficult for me. At one point, a cartridge dropped out, and when I went to reinsert it, I couldn't figure out how to raise the plunger high enough to expel what was left. There's certainly a learning curve, and I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble just yet.

Should getting pens loaded and clearing every bit of air and bubbles prove frustrating, they might not suit you. That goes double when your schedule is only 1 shot per week and you skip filtering. To see what I'm doing, I need reading glasses, something I otherwise never wear.

My air-removal routine tends to happen immediately after filling and filtering. The vent needle stays in place, and I position it at the absolute top of the snout, not even 1 mm lower. Next comes flicking with a fingernail until every bubble has traveled to the top (a bit of spinning can help too). After that, I take an old plunger removed from a syringe (at times propped against the counter) and ease the cart plunger upward until no air remains and only the smallest droplet appears. Very often, a stint in the fridge makes those final tiny bubbles vanish. If a speck of air still sits at the top, I'll load the cart into a pen, attach a pen needle (prior to the first pin) with only a shallow puncture rather than fully screwing it on, and expel 1-2 units at a time until that last bubble is gone.

Carts are plagued by bubbles, because their compression and expansion are typically what produces the dribble at the end. There are 3D printed recon stations out there that simplify parts of this, yet when the obstacle is process, vision, or reflexes, no amount of spending will truly fix it.

Yes, I use a filter. Pulling the mixed peptides back out of the vial they came in is something I also find difficult, so the problem is probably on my end. I'll give the vent needle a shot for removing extra air — that sounds like a solid tip. Every day I take KPV, though only 5 units, which is why I figured the convi pen would simplify things. So far that hasn't really happened.

Mind if I ask one more thing — can the plunger be adjusted? Say the cart falls out of the pen by accident and I have to reinsert it; the resistance at the bottom is gone at that point, so when I dial and push, it won't return to its previous position. I hope that's clear. Thanks!

 

[mongchopz]

There’s a distinction between different kinds of pens. The auto injectors (convi gansu etc) perform excellently. I keep an insulin usb cooler packed with them next to my bed, and the injection routine only takes about a minute with minimal waste.

 

[joseblo]

GrandmaJ said:

joseblo said:

GrandmaJ said:

I'm attempting a switch over to pens, but it's been a real challenge. I'm just not skilled at using them! While trying to clear air bubbles, I end up wasting peps. Even though I keep the needle in place and count to 20 before withdrawing it once the injection is finished, more liquid still leaks out afterward. When the cartridge isn't completely filled to 3ml, getting the plunger into the correct spot is difficult for me. At one point, a cartridge dropped out, and when I went to reinsert it, I couldn't figure out how to raise the plunger high enough to expel what was left. There's certainly a learning curve, and I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble just yet.

Should getting pens loaded and clearing every bit of air and bubbles prove frustrating, they might not suit you. That goes double when your schedule is only 1 shot per week and you skip filtering. To see what I'm doing, I need reading glasses, something I otherwise never wear.

My air-removal routine tends to happen immediately after filling and filtering. The vent needle stays in place, and I position it at the absolute top of the snout, not even 1 mm lower. Next comes flicking with a fingernail until every bubble has traveled to the top (a bit of spinning can help too). After that, I take an old plunger removed from a syringe (at times propped against the counter) and ease the cart plunger upward until no air remains and only the smallest droplet appears. Very often, a stint in the fridge makes those final tiny bubbles vanish. If a speck of air still sits at the top, I'll load the cart into a pen, attach a pen needle (prior to the first pin) with only a shallow puncture rather than fully screwing it on, and expel 1-2 units at a time until that last bubble is gone.

Carts are plagued by bubbles, because their compression and expansion are typically what produces the dribble at the end. There are 3D printed recon stations out there that simplify parts of this, yet when the obstacle is process, vision, or reflexes, no amount of spending will truly fix it.

Yes, I use a filter. Pulling the mixed peptides back out of the vial they came in is something I also find difficult, so the problem is probably on my end. I'll give the vent needle a shot for removing extra air — that sounds like a solid tip. Every day I take KPV, though only 5 units, which is why I figured the convi pen would simplify things. So far that hasn't really happened.

Mind if I ask one more thing — can the plunger be adjusted? Say the cart falls out of the pen by accident and I have to reinsert it; the resistance at the bottom is gone at that point, so when I dial and push, it won't return to its previous position. I hope that's clear. Thanks!

To extract every last drop from the vial, a 1.5in needle (25Ga or 27Ga) is a big help since it can reach the bottom! Keep the shorter recon fill needle in place and use it as a vent while withdrawing, which prevents suction from building up. A vent needle is a must during filling, but it should sit as high as possible; meanwhile, I use a 0.5in (27Ga) inserted all the way for filling so there's no leaking or bubbling out through the vent. Once the vent is in (after taking out the filter needle), you can manually push the cart plunger upward. If a cart is inside the pen (no matter where the plunger sits), you can reset the pen by lightly twisting/pushing the screw pen piston in. After that, just like when you start, attach a pen needle, dial 10-20 pen units, and push until the piston appears about to meet the plunger... then proceed very slowly at 1-2U.

Automatic pens such as Convi, Gansu, Alstar, as well as manual Luxura and Savio, tend to be smoother and more precise than V1/V2 pens. Given how little KPV you're using, I'd still recon so you get at least 10U/pin. These pens are accurate to better than +/-1U. If you truly must go below 10U, pens like Alstar Jr can do 0.5U increments (max 30U only), but they take the same 3ml carts.

 

[GrandmaJ]

joseblo said:

GrandmaJ said:

joseblo said:

GrandmaJ said:

I'm attempting a switch over to pens, but it's been a real challenge. I'm just not skilled at using them! While trying to clear air bubbles, I end up wasting peps. Even though I keep the needle in place and count to 20 before withdrawing it once the injection is finished, more liquid still leaks out afterward. When the cartridge isn't completely filled to 3ml, getting the plunger into the correct spot is difficult for me. At one point, a cartridge dropped out, and when I went to reinsert it, I couldn't figure out how to raise the plunger high enough to expel what was left. There's certainly a learning curve, and I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble just yet.

Should getting pens loaded and clearing every bit of air and bubbles prove frustrating, they might not suit you. That goes double when your schedule is only 1 shot per week and you skip filtering. To see what I'm doing, I need reading glasses, something I otherwise never wear.

My air-removal routine tends to happen immediately after filling and filtering. The vent needle stays in place, and I position it at the absolute top of the snout, not even 1 mm lower. Next comes flicking with a fingernail until every bubble has traveled to the top (a bit of spinning can help too). After that, I take an old plunger removed from a syringe (at times propped against the counter) and ease the cart plunger upward until no air remains and only the smallest droplet appears. Very often, a stint in the fridge makes those final tiny bubbles vanish. If a speck of air still sits at the top, I'll load the cart into a pen, attach a pen needle (prior to the first pin) with only a shallow puncture rather than fully screwing it on, and expel 1-2 units at a time until that last bubble is gone.

Carts are plagued by bubbles, because their compression and expansion are typically what produces the dribble at the end. There are 3D printed recon stations out there that simplify parts of this, yet when the obstacle is process, vision, or reflexes, no amount of spending will truly fix it.

Yes, I use a filter. Pulling the mixed peptides back out of the vial they came in is something I also find difficult, so the problem is probably on my end. I'll give the vent needle a shot for removing extra air — that sounds like a solid tip. Every day I take KPV, though only 5 units, which is why I figured the convi pen would simplify things. So far that hasn't really happened.

Mind if I ask one more thing — can the plunger be adjusted? Say the cart falls out of the pen by accident and I have to reinsert it; the resistance at the bottom is gone at that point, so when I dial and push, it won't return to its previous position. I hope that's clear. Thanks!

To extract every last drop from the vial, a 1.5in needle (25Ga or 27Ga) is a big help since it can reach the bottom! Keep the shorter recon fill needle in place and use it as a vent while withdrawing, which prevents suction from building up. A vent needle is a must during filling, but it should sit as high as possible; meanwhile, I use a 0.5in (27Ga) inserted all the way for filling so there's no leaking or bubbling out through the vent. Once the vent is in (after taking out the filter needle), you can manually push the cart plunger upward. If a cart is inside the pen (no matter where the plunger sits), you can reset the pen by lightly twisting/pushing the screw pen piston in. After that, just like when you start, attach a pen needle, dial 10-20 pen units, and push until the piston appears about to meet the plunger... then proceed very slowly at 1-2U.

Automatic pens such as Convi, Gansu, Alstar, as well as manual Luxura and Savio, tend to be smoother and more precise than V1/V2 pens. Given how little KPV you're using, I'd still recon so you get at least 10U/pin. These pens are accurate to better than +/-1U. If you truly must go below 10U, pens like Alstar Jr can do 0.5U increments (max 30U only), but they take the same 3ml carts.

Since my KPV is 30mg, I unfortunately added the maximum 3ml bac that would fit. I've been considering raising my dose from 500mcg to 1mg, which would let me draw 10 units rather than 5. With the convi, I ran a water test at .5 and it came out pretty close. At just 5 units the V1 wasn't consistent, so I used it for my TA-1, but I'm nearly finished with it.(my cold is getting better)

 

[chunkyTN]

That was me too, right up until I picked up a convi pen. These days I filter straight into the cartridge, so nothing needs touching again until the vial is empty. Those auto injector pens change everything.

 

[skeptick]

GrandmaJ said:

I'm attempting a switch over to pens, but it's been a real challenge. I'm just not skilled at using them! While trying to clear air bubbles, I end up wasting peps. Even though I keep the needle in place and count to 20 before withdrawing it once the injection is finished, more liquid still leaks out afterward. When the cartridge isn't completely filled to 3ml, getting the plunger into the correct spot is difficult for me. At one point, a cartridge dropped out, and when I went to reinsert it, I couldn't figure out how to raise the plunger high enough to expel what was left. There's certainly a learning curve, and I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble just yet.

There are plenty of helpful videos over on YouTube.

 

[sheilarae74]

DoctaDave said:

Is it just me who can't stand pens? Yeah, they may be handy, but after spending all that time getting the vial ready, I could've already done several days' worth of peps, haha. I picked up a V1 just to try it out, and I really can't stand the thing. Pushing the plunger is kind of a pain, and the needle jiggles around while I'm trying to position my thumb. I suppose insulin needles work better for me.

Mine isn't something I'm fond of. I went with a pen only because 2 boxes of pen needles were already in my possession. Pinning the glutes with it is genuinely difficult, in my experience. After the needles run out, I doubt I'll keep using it. Syringes are simply more straightforward, and for my daily, a vial spike is always an option.

 

[sheilarae74]

chunkyTN said:

That was me too, right up until I picked up a convi pen. These days I filter straight into the cartridge, so nothing needs touching again until the vial is empty. Those auto injector pens change everything.

I own that same one, and it frequently fails to deliver the full dose. Usually, I end up having to push down on it with a lot of force.